Clamping and sealing device



Nov. 30, 1937. J. LINDE 2,100,859

CLAMPING AND SEALING DEVICE Filed Dec. 28, 1934 Inverwtor: Leonard lLir-wcje,

His Attorrwey.

Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE OLAMPING AND SEALING DEVICE Application December 28, 1934, Serial No. 759,556

6 Claims.

My invention relates to clamping and sealing devices, more particularly to devices for detachably clamping and sealing in position relatively movable members, such as a casing and its cover for housing and enclosing electric sub-station apparatus of the submersible type.

Apparatus of the aforesaid type must not only be efiiciently sealed with respect to moisture when in operation but also readily accessible for inspection and maintenance. The clamping and sealing device should be quickly adjustable both to clamping and releasing positions without risk of inconvenience and delay which might be occasione'd by a number of separately detachable elements.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of an improved clamping and sealingdevice for submersible casings and the like which facilitates access to and inspection of the interior of the casing, is simple, rugged and inexpensive in construction, and may be quickly adjusted efliciently either to seal or open said casing.

My invention will be more fully set forth in the following description referring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a casing of the submersible type to which my invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of part of the structure shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

The submersible type casing illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a rectangular sheet metal box or enclosure l which is provided with a sheet metal cover 2. The casing is provided at its outer edge with a lateral flange I, which together with the corresponding overhanging edge of the cover 2 forms the clamping and sealing flanges of the casing. The joint at the abutting flanges may be suitably sealed with respect to moisture, such as by a gasket 3 formed of yielding moistureproof material.

For the purpose of firmly clampingsaid flanges together around the entire periphery of the casing, a clamping and sealing assembly at each edge comprising a pair of clamping strips 4 and 5 is loosely pivotally mounted with respect to one of the flanges, preferably on the casing I, so that the assembly may be swung as a unit into and out of clamping position. As illustrated in Fig. 1, each assembly is pivotally mounted on the casing at 6 at the opposite ends thereof so that the clamping strips 4 and 5 may be positioned so as to clamp between them the abutting flanges of the casing cover.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, fragmentary portions of two separate clamping assemblies at adjoining edges of the casing are illustrated. The assembly including the clamping strips 4 and 5 comprises a loose pivotal mounting for the lower strip 5 and a plurality of adjusting and clamping members interconnecting in spaced parallel relation the strips 4 and 5, such as for example screws or bolts 1 which extend freely through apertures in the strip 4 and into corresponding tapped apertures in the strip 5.

The loose pivotal mounting for the assembly at 6 comprises an eye-bolt 8 suitably secured to the underside of the strip 5 coacting with a pivot pin 9 which is carried by a lug ll] secured to a side wall of the casing l. The eye-bolt 8 and pin 9 have a lost motion connection as illustrated so that the clamping strip 5 may assume a floating position with respect to the casing flange I.

The flanges are provided with alined notches H and 12, respectively, corresponding in position to the clamping bolts 1 so as to receive said bolts when the assembly is swung to clamping position. With this arrangement accurate alining of the flanges with respect to the clamping assembly is unnecessary since the notches may be made over-size and provide merely for general alinement with the clamping bolts 1. The gasket 3 does not necessarily extend to the outer edges of the flanges and may instead extend no farther than the notches.

The clamping and releasing operations are clearly illustrated by Fig. 2. The assembly along the upper edgehas been swung out of engagement with the flanges so that the corresponding edge of the cover is free. This operation is preceded simply by loosening all the bolts 1 of the particular assembly so as to space the strips t and 5 as illustrated. By reason of the loose pivotal mounting at 6 the assembly is readily swung away from the flanges without interference.

The assembly at the vertical edge is in the clamped position, the flanges being between the strips 4 and 5 and pressed tightly together by the clamping bolts 1 which are shown in the corresponding flange notches. By reason of the aforesaid loose pivotal mounting the bolts 1 are prevent withdrawal of the bolts from the lower or anchor strip 5.

It will be apparent that the: spacing of the bolts 1 and the relative thickness of the flanges and the clamping strips may vary in accordance with the particular requirements of the apparatus.

It should be particularly noted that the clamping assembly at each edge of the casing is permanently mounted thereon so as to obviate any inconvenience or delay which might be occasioned by misplacing a detachable element, such as in. the case of a casing sealed by a number of separate bolts and clamps.

For the purpose of improving the above described arrangement to the extent that no loose or separately detachable elements are involved, the cover 2 is provided with a resilient hinge arrangement so that the cover may be clamped in position without involving excess strain at the hinge mounting. To this end a pivotal hinge mounting 13 (Fig. 3) is secured to the casing i and includes an offset arm It to which is secured a flexible strip l5 extending beyond the center line of the cover 2. The arm i is positioned in a notch l l formed in the cover, the upper edge of the notch bearing on the arm so that the weight of the cover is carried adjacent the hinge pivot. The strip I5 is bolted at it to the cover 2 adjacent said center line, there being no further connection between the cover and the hinge pivot at l3.

It will therefore be apparent that securing of the flexible hinge strip Hi to the cover at a point remote from the hinge pivot while supporting the weight of the cover near the pivot permits a certain floating movement of the cover with respect to its hinge mounting. The hinge is therefore not subject to strain when the cover is tightly clamped in position and the cover is independently hinged when released by the clamping device.

It will be noted, referring to Fig. i, that the side edge assemblies do not extend completely to the opposite edges. This is for the purpose of permitting the hinges to be mounted at either edge of the casing as required.

It should be understood that my invention is not limited to specific details of construction and arrangement thereof herein illustrated, and that changes and modifications may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A clamping and sealing device for relatively movable members comprising a clamping strip mounted for lateral movement on one of said members, a second clamping strip movable with said first-named strip, said members positioned between said clamping strips in clamping posi tion, and means for drawing together said strips for sealing said members.

2. A clamping and sealing device for relatively movable members having abutting flanges comprising a flat clamping strip mounted for lateral movement on one of said members, a second'flat clamping strip carried by and movable with said first-named clamping strip, said flanges positioned between said clamping strips in clamping position, and means interconnecting said strips for clamping and sealing said flanges.

3. A clamping and sealing device for relatively movable members having abutting flanges, said flanges having alined notches spaced along the outer edges thereof, comprising a clamping strip mounted for lateral movement on one of said members, a second clamping strip carried by and movable with said first-named clamping strip,

said flanges positioned between said clamping strips in clamping position, and means interconnecting said strips and movable into said notches for clamping and sealing said flanges, said strips and last-named means movable as a unit between clamping and releasing positions.

a. A clamping and sealing device for relatively movable members comprising a clamping strip loose pivotal mounting on one of said members, a second clamping strip movable with said first-named strip, said members positioned between said clamping strips in clamping position, said strips being in floating relation to said members and said pivotal mounting, and means for drawing together said strips for sealing said members.

5. A clamping and sealing device for a casing and cover having abutting flanges, comprising a clamping strip having a loose pivotal mounting on said casing, a second clamping strip movable with and in spaced parallel relation to said firstnamed strip, said first and second named strips arranged to engage said casing and cover flanges respectively in clamping position, and a plurality of bolts interconnecting said strips for sealing said flanges between said strips, said strips and bolts movable as a unit about said pivotal mounting and said flanges having alined notches spaced along the outer edges thereof for receiving said bolts.

6. A. clamping and sealing assembly for each edge of a rectangular casing and cover comprising a clamping strip having loose pivotal mountings with respect to an edge of said casing, a second clamping strip in spaced parallel relation to said first named strip, and a plurality of bolts interconnecting said strips for clamping the adjoining edges of said casing and cover between said strips, the clamped edges of said casing and cover having alined notches for receiving said bolts spaced to correspond with the positioning of said bolts, said assembly movable as a unit about its pivotal mounting to clamping and cover releasing positions.

LEONARD J. LINDE. 

